Tree holder



T. A. NYBERG Jan.31,1967

TREE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 16, 1965 FIG. 1.

FIG. 2. /2

y/ why/4 INVENTOR.

77/500055 ,4, NYBEEG;

FIG.

Jan. 31, 1967 I T. A. NYBERG TREE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1965 FIG. #5.

INVENTOR.

47704A/EV3 United States Patent 3,301,512 TREE HOLDER Theodore A. Nyberg, Maitland, Fla. (1641 Chestnut Ave., Winter Park, Fla. 32789) .Filed Apr. 16, 1965. Ser. No. 448,772 9 Claims. (Cl. 248-44) This invention relates to a holder for Christmas trees, and like bodies.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a reliable and easily operated device of the kind indicated, wherein the insertion therein of a tree, or the like, produces partial closing of clamping and centering components, and foot actuation of a lever, to an over-center, self-locking position, produces full gripping relation of said components with the tree; and wherein retraction of the lever effects withdrawal and release of said components from the tree.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device of the invention, showing its lever in retracted position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of said device, showing the clamping components in clamping relation to a tree, the locking lever being in locking position;

FIGURE 5 is a left-hand end elevation of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a retracting dog; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a clamping lever.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated device comprises a flat preferably rectangular horizontal table 12 having feet 14, extending downwardly from its corners to engage a supporting surface, such as a floor. The table 12 is for-med with a central circular opening 16 larger in diameter than the tree T or other similar body intended to be held.

Secured centrally to the underside of the table 12 is a frame 18 comprising a flat horizontal base plate which is disposed on a diagonal line extending between two opposed corners of the table 12. From the ends of the base plate 20 rise similar and opposed, perpendicular channel uprights 22, the openings of which face each other.

The uprights 22 have webs 24 and panelled sidewalls 26, the latter having, on their upper ends, lateral ears 28 which are secured, as by means of bolts 30 to the table 12. The sidewalls 26 are formed, intermediate their ends, with horizontal slots 32 which open to their inner edges 34. Between the outer ends 36 of the slots 32 and the webs 24 the sidewalls 26 are punched out to provide laterally and outwardly-angled earns 38.

The frame 18 further comprises a U-shaped member 40, having a cross-member 42 secured, as by means of rivets 43, crosswise on the upper surface of the base plate 20 midway between the channel uprights 22, and extending to opposite sides thereof. The member 40 further comprises perpendicular legs 44 on the ends of the crossmember 40, which have lateral flanges 46 on their upper ends, which are secured, as by means of bolts 48, to the underside of the table 12.

Channel-shaped, vertically-elongated clamping levers 50 are disposed within the channel uprights 22, and comprise straight vertical upper gripping portions 52, and inwardly and downwardly-angled lower cam portions 54.

The levers 50 have webs 56, and sidewalls 58, which are common to the upper and lower portions of the levers 50. At the upper ends of the sidewalls 58, and extending inwardly from the upper ends thereof, are triangular, downwardly and inwardly-angled tree-indenting teeth 60.

At locations intermediate the lower ends of the sidewalls 26 of the channel uprights 22, and the slots 32, the

sidewalls 26 are formed with closed horizontal slots 62,

through which transverse horizontal rods 64 extend.

The sidewalls 58 of the clamping levers 50 are formed in line with the closed slots 62, with openings 66 through which the rods 64 extend, whereby the levers 50 are pivotally supported for movements toward and away from each other.

Lever-retracting dog 68, shown in detail in FIGURE 8, are disposed at opposite sides of the channel uprights 22. The dogs 68 comprise fiat upright right-triangular plates having base edges 70, altitude edges 72, and hypotenuse edges 74. Laterally, inwardly-extending lugs 76, at the upper ends of the hypotenuse edges 74, extend into the open slots 32 in the sidewalls 26 of the uprights 22, and also into horizontal open slots 78 formed in the sidewalls 58 of the levers 50. The lugs 76, at times, engage the ends 80 of the slots 78.

The dogs 68 are pivoted, as indicated at 82, at the corners thereof, between their base edges 70 and their hypotenuse edges 74, to the end walls 26 of the uprights 22 at locations near the inner edges 34 of the sidewalls 26. The dogs 68 are formed with inwardly and downwardlyangled closed slots 84 through which the rods 64 extend. The cam lugs 38 on the upright sidewalls 26 are adapted to be engaged by the altitude edges 72 of the dogs 68, as the dogs are moved outwardly, whereby the dogs are flexed laterally outwardly, so that the lugs thereof are removed from engagement with the closed ends of the slots 78 of the levers 50, as shown in FIGURE 3.

One of the rods 64 is pivoted, at its outer end, to the outer ends of first horizontal links 86, which, at their inner ends, are pivoted, as indicated at 88, to the upper parts of vertically-elongated plate portions on the inner ends of generally horizontal operating levers 92.

The plate portions 90 are pivoted, intermediate their upper and lower ends, as indicated at 94, on the outer sides of the frame legs 44. Second generally horizontal links 96 are pivoted, at their inner ends, as indicated at 98, to the plate portions 90, at locations in line with and below the pivotal points 88 and 94. The outer ends of the second levers 96 are pivoted on the other one of the rods 64.

The operating levers 92 have outer end portions 99 which are outwardly and downwardly-angled, relative to the plate portions 90, and the outer end portions 98 are pivoted on related ends of a single transverse rod 100. The single rod 100 extends through the sidewalls 102 of a perpendicular link 104 at the lower end thereof. The channel link 104 is pivoted at 106 at its upper end, between the pendant sidewalls 108 .of a downwardly-opening, generally horizontal locking lever 110. The locking lever 110 operates in a radial slot 112 formed in the table 12 and opening through a related corner thereof. At its inner end, the locking lever 110 is pivoted on a transverse rod 114, which is anchored at its ends to the sides of the slot 112 at a location near the inner edges 34 of the sidewalls 26 of the related channel upright 22.

What is claimed is:

1. A tree holder comprising a support, opposed clamping levers having tree gripping portions at their upper ends, the levers being devoid of tree gripping portions at their lower ends, articulated on the support to move their gripping portions toward each other into tree-clamping relationship from upwardly and outwardly-retracted positions, operating lever means pivoted on the support to move from an elevated position to a depressed position for moving the clamping levers to clamping positions, linkage means operatively connecting the operating lever means to the clamping levers, and a locking lever pivoted on the support and operatively connected to the operating lever means.

2. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises a table spaced above said levers and formed with a tree-passing opening centered between the clamping levers.

3. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises dogs articulated to the support, said dogs having lateral lugs engaged with the facing edges of the clamping levers.

4. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises dogs articulated to the support, said dogs having lateral lugs engaged with the facing edges of the clamping levers, first links pivoted at one end to one of the dogs and at their other ends to the operating lever means, at points above the pivotal axes of the operating lever means, second links pivoted at one end to the operating lever means at points below the pivotal axes of the operating lever means, and second links pivoted at their other ends to the other of the dogs.

5. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises dogs articulated to the support, said dogs having lateral lugs engaged with the facing edges of the clamping levers, first links pivoted at one end to one of the dogs and at their other ends to the operating lever means, at points above the pivotal axes of the operating lever means, second links pivoted at one end to the operating lever means at points below the pivotal axes of the operating lever means, and second links pivoted at their other ends to the other of the dogs, said locking lever being pivoted at one end on the support above a clamping lever, and a pendant link pivoted at its upper end to the locking lever and at its lower end to the operating lever means.

6. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said clamping levers are vertically elongated and have upper portions having inwardly-extending tree-indenting teeth constituting said tree gripping portions, and lower cam portions extending inwardly from said upper portions.

7. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said clamping levers are vertically elongated and have upper portions having inwardly-extending tree-indenting teeth constituting said tree gripping portions, and lower cam portions extending inwardly from said upper portions, said support comprising facing vertical channel uprights in which the clamping levers are engaged.

8. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises dogs articulated to the support, said dogs having lateral lugs engaged with the facing edges of the clamping levers, said support comprising verticallyelongated facing channel uprights, said uprights having sidewalls on which said dogs are externally positioned, said sidewalls having inner edges formed with horizontal slots through which said lugs work.

9. A tree holder according to claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises dogs articulated to the support, said dogs having lateral lugs engaged with the facing edges of the clamping levers, said support comprising verticallyelongated facing channel uprights, said uprights having sidewalls on which said dogs are externally positioned, said sidewalls having inner edges formed with horizontal slots through which said lugs work, said clamping levers being channel-shaped and having sidewalls formed with horizontal slots having closed ends and aligned with the slots in the sidewalls of the uprights, the lugs of the dogs being adapted to engage the said closed ends through the upright slots for retracting the clamping levers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1933 Knudson 24847 6/1965 Breneman 29-450 

1. A TREE HOLDER COMPRISING A SUPPORT, OPPOSED CLAMPING LEVERS HAVING TREE GRIPPING PORTIONS AT THEIR UPPER ENDS, THE LEVERS BEING DEVOID OF TREE GRIPPING PORTIONS AT THEIR LOWER ENDS, ARTICULATED ON THE SUPPORT TO MOVE THEIR GRIPPING PORTIONS TOWARD EACH OTHER INTO TREE-CLAMPING RELATIONSHIP FROM UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY-RETRACTED POSITIONS, OPERATING LEVER MEANS PIVOTED ON THE SUPPORT TO MOVE FROM AN ELEVATED POSITION TO A DEPRESSED POSITION FOR MOVING THE CLAMPING LEVERS TO CLAMPING POSITIONS, LINKAGE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE OPERATING LEVER MEANS TO THE CLAMPING LEVERS, AND A LOCKING LEVER PIVOTED ON THE SUPPORT AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE OPERATING LEVER MEANS. 